Chapter 41

Even though they didn't know any... er, motherly rabbit-like creatures earlier, fortunately, wild animals didn't react to recording equipment the way spirit entities did.

The research division dispatched a batch of exploration instruments to the plateau, aiming to find the female rabbit-creature capable of rearing young, as requested by His Excellency the Marshal.

However...

"When it comes to wild animals, it's rare for a female to accept offspring that isn't her own, right?" Researcher A commented, gazing at the scattered detection points on the screen, twirling a pen between her fingers.

The slightly older Researcher B handed her colleague a tube of nutritional fluid, "Let's first search for those who've recently lost their young. Here, this grape-flavored nutrient solution was just developed by the logistics department. It's not bad."

"However, as the early spring season is approaching, these rabbit-creatures are starting to mate, making it even harder to find one..."

As Researcher A opened the nutrient tube, she casually asked, "Can male rabbit-creatures rear young?"

Researcher B burst into laughter, nearly choking, "For that, you'd need to ask someone whose spirit form is that of a rabbit-creature."

Upon hearing this, both paused, their thoughts converging on one individual.

Uh-oh.

A spirit in the form of a rabbit-creature...

The First Military Division actually might...

Have one.

*

In the protected area, Xia You felt a sense of constriction. Opening her eyes and looking down, she found a furry, black beast arm draped over her.

Looking further down, two orange-black tiger legs rested across her thighs. A fully stretched tiger lay straight, with a corner of a blanket covering its belly.

Following the blanket's trail, a gray fluffy creature was sweetly asleep, cushioned against its tail, with a blue butterfly ribbon lying just beside the big cat's ear.

Xia You: "..."

No wonder she felt suffocated.

The young man turned his head left and right, not spotting the rabbit-creature offspring and immediately grew alarmed.

Clutching the black panther, Xia You jolted upright. She squeezed her eyes shut briefly, and her vision, once hazy, became clear.

Not only was there no sign of the rabbit-creature pup inside the tent, but Lu Yinghuai was also absent.

The black panther, which had been sleeping, opened its eyes due to Xia You's movements. Shifting from its prone position, it sat crouched beside her, pushing a tray towards her with its paw.

Xia You turned and saw a cup of juice and a simple sandwich breakfast on the tray. It was evident that it had been prepared by His Highness.

At that moment, Xia You faintly caught the soft call of the rabbit-creature pup from outside the tent.

The snow leopard also awoke, its blue eyes fixed on Xia You, silently waiting for her to eat.

Only the young tiger remained asleep, snoring softly with its paws stretched out beside its head, black paw pads facing upwards.

Alas, when cats grow up, they lose their pink paw pads.

Xia You carefully slid her legs out from under the tiger's and, holding the juice in one hand and the sandwich in the other, approached the tent's entrance.

The black panther followed closely behind her. Yawning, it lifted the tent flap with its paw.

Outside, the rabbit-creature pup stared intently at a tiny object scurrying in place, its tail twitching rapidly.

Lu Yinghuai stood nearby, occasionally tapping on his holographic computer.

Suddenly, the grayish ball-like object halted.

The rabbit-creature pup immediately leaned forward, its whiskers quivering. From the tips of its ears to its tail, its concentration and seriousness were evident.

Hearing the noise behind him, Lu Yinghuai turned around.

Xia You, having freshened up, sat cross-legged beside the tent entrance, biting into her sandwich and raising her cup in a salute towards Lu Yinghuai.

The black panther sat regally beside her. Together, they effectively blocked the entrance, preventing the cold wind from entering the tent.

There had been no snowfall last night, but due to the high altitude and frigid climate, the snow on the cliffs remained pristine and pure.

"What's that?" Xia You asked curiously, watching the rabbit-creature pup's antics.

Lu Yinghuai approached the tent and displayed the holographic screen before Xia You.

While nibbling on her sandwich, Xia You looked down and remarked, "A simulation life-ball?"

Lu Yinghuai had mentioned this during their mech lessons. However, at the First Military Academy, this topic belonged to the curriculum for mechanics.

Lu Yinghuai nodded, "The materials were limited, so it's a bit rudimentary, but it can simulate the biological characteristics of the rabbit-creature's prey."

Taking a sip of her juice, Xia You casually remarked, "I initially thought it was a live-stream ball, it looks quite similar."

Except its color isn't as vibrant as that of a live-stream ball.

"Indeed. I dismantled the bio-mimicry chip from the live-stream ball," Lu Yinghuai explained, swiftly maneuvering the bio-ball to roll away just as it was about to be bitten by the rabbit-creature pup.

"Huh?" Xia You uttered a brief word of confusion.

Dismantled from where?

Meeting Xia You's gaze, Lu Yinghuai elaborated, "Bio-mimicry chips aren't cheap, but they're useless against the insect race, so they aren't considered essential military equipment."

This specific live-stream ball was made for Xia You's venture into the reserve. Given the various wild creatures in the area, a bio-mimicry chip was included to ensure the ball remained as discreet as possible.

"The rabbit-creature is not large, and it primarily preys on smaller animals like mice, hedgehogs, and lizards. At home," Lu Yinghuai paused momentarily, maintaining his composure, "the leopards at home are harder to train."

"Oh..."

Xia You, still holding her sandwich, inquired with a hint of concern, "So, can we still use our live-stream ball?"

"Yes," Lu Yinghuai replied. He had only removed the bio-mimicry chip, and everything else remained untouched. "But it might be a bit riskier."

"Risky? For us?" Xia You thought he meant the ball might expose their location.

To her surprise, Lu Yinghuai clarified, "The live-stream ball might be at risk, but it's a minor issue."

Though Xia You didn't fully grasp the implications, she figured the ball's vulnerability wouldn't be a significant problem. Finishing the last bite of her sandwich and reaching for a handkerchief, an animal arm extended towards her.

Xia You blinked and turned her head.

The black panther's claw held a handkerchief, which she recognized as the one she'd washed the previous night.

To avoid soiling it, the panther delicately held just one corner of the handkerchief with its claw.

Xia You was utterly charmed and affectionately nuzzled her beloved pet.

Having felt overlooked since the previous night's unexpected arrival of a new creature, the large feline, now the center of attention again, contentedly placed its soft paw pad on the young girl's shoulder, purring loudly.

The black panther seldom spoke, most of the time emitting a deep, dignified purr. Such a sound was truly rare.

Xia You rubbed her cheek against the soft fur on the panther's face and took a deep breath.

The freedom, spontaneity, and happiness of these days were unimaginable to Xia You in her past life, her life before that, or even when she was naively treated as a young master in the Duke's mansion.

Xia You nestled in the panther's embrace for quite a while before turning around with a radiant smile, peeking outside the tent at Lu Yinghuai.

"Your Highness!"

Lu Yinghuai looked down at him, "Hmm?"

Remembering a gesture she learned from the human survivor's base, Xia You grinned widely, and suddenly raised her hand to her head, forming a heart shape.

Lu Yinghuai: "…?"

The Marshal was, for once, utterly dumbfounded.

With the bio-sphere's control lost, the bunny cub seized the opportunity, pouncing and trying to bite it. It stumbled towards Lu Yinghuai, bumping into his shin.

Lu Yinghuai snapped back to reality.

Meanwhile, Xia You had already slipped back into the tent, beginning to pack and prepare for their journey.

The little tiger was unceremoniously awakened by Xia You, who also pointed out the now considerably larger tiger's problematic sleeping posture.

The little tiger used to snuggle up to Xia You, not making a fuss when asleep, but it had a habit of rotating 360 degrees.

But back then, the cub was so tiny. Now, with two of its tiger legs weighing dozens of pounds, who could tolerate that?

The cub, named Latiao, sat in front of Xia You with its head drooping. Its front paws were neatly placed side by side, and its ears were pointed up, resembling airplane wings.

Xia You, speaking and suddenly feeling sympathetic, sighed and affectionately ruffled the tiger's head: "Alright, we can work on it over time."

However, the elder black panther, without a shred of mercy, lifted its paw and slapped the little tiger on the head.

"Rawrrrr!" The little tiger turned and roared defiantly at the panther a few times, then lowered its head to nuzzle Xia You's wrist, "Rawr."

There was a hint of embarrassment in its tone.

Xia You caressed Latiao's large head, and then gently stroked the snow leopard's back: "Alright, enough cuddling. We need to quickly pack up the tent."

The three large cats seemed to understand Xia You's intentions. They began assisting her, with the snow leopard meticulously folding the blankets into neat squares.

*

The off-road vehicle hit the road once more, but this time, Xia You had a little bunny cub cradled in her arms.

Feeling restless and having overslept this morning, Xia You volunteered to drive. Lu Yinghuai sat in the passenger seat, cradling the bunny cub.

The livestreaming orb, as always, was released to fly outside. The audience in the chatroom occasionally caught glimpses of the little bunny in the Marshal's arms.

[Hmm? Such a tiny bunny?]

[Er… I recall the Vice Marshal doesn't have children, right?]

[Correct, but they've been married for quite a while. I remember attending their wedding with the boss back in the day.]

[Oh, so this bunny cub isn't a spiritual entity then.]

[Nonsense!!! What are you lot babbling about? How could there be such a milk-dependent spiritual entity?!]

A golden barrage of comments shot through, filled with the author's irritation and disbelief.

The bunny cub in Lu Yinghuai's arms looked around curiously. Its formerly pitiful demeanor had transformed into liveliness, thanks to the newfound protection.

Because the bunny's ears stick out horizontally, they always seem to exude a sense of seriousness. Even the little cub appears as if it's constantly deep in thought.

"Mew! Mew! Mew~"

The restless bunny cub paced back and forth in Lu Yinghuai's arms, revealing the tip of its black tail from underneath the blanket it was wrapped in.

The handsome man sat in the passenger seat, snowy landscapes passing by outside the window. Yet on his lap, a palm-sized, fluffy bundle was busy wriggling out of the blanket.

[Tsk, looks so frail.]

The golden comment mingled with the barrage of white comments, largely ignored by others. They simply assumed that the ever-combative Vice Marshal disdained such tender cubs.

Soon, the chatroom comments returned to casual conversation, occasionally mentioning a distant waterfall or stream spotted on the journey.

The bunny cub seemed curious about Xia You, gradually inching its way towards her while stepping on Lu Yinghuai's thigh.

Suddenly, it tumbled into the cup holder between the two, legs flailing in the air in a frantic attempt to right itself.

Xia You couldn't help but laugh, "Why does this cub seem so... dim-witted?"

After laughing, Xia You became a bit concerned.

Although the spicy strip (a nickname) seemed a bit goofy as a young cub, it was actually a clever little tiger.

If this bunny cub is like this... will it be able to find food once it's adopted by another bunny family?

Lu Yinghuai's communicator beeped, catching the attention of the bunny cub which had just managed to turn itself right side up.

Lu Yinghuai opened the message and saw it was from Zhu Zaiyuan, one of the Vice Marshals of the First Legion.

[Ahem... Good morning, Marshal.]

Raising an eyebrow, Lu Yinghuai responded, [What's the matter?]

The other end, seemingly familiar with Lu Yinghuai's straightforward manner, quickly typed a lengthy message.

[Marshal, didn’t you and the Lady Marshal recently find a bunny cub? Well, it looks rather cute... Mostly, you know, my wife adores bunnies. The fact I was able to win her over in the first place had a lot to do with my spiritual form. So, I was wondering if maybe...]

[I know bunny habitats can be demanding. But considering my wife's condition, there's nowhere more sterile than our home.]

[Moreover, hunting on the plateau isn’t easy this season. Where would you find a wild bunny willing to take in another cub?]

[And, just hypothetically speaking, I am a bunny after all. Maybe I could even communicate with the cub, perhaps teach it to operate a mech.]

Lu Yinghuai: “...”

A wild bunny operating a mech — the idea got more absurd the more he considered it.

On the other hand, it was undeniable that this bunny cub's chances of survival if released into the wild were slim.

Even if it luckily found a female bunny willing to take it in, if she went into heat, the cub might very likely be killed by a male bunny during mating.

Zhu Zaiyuan's wife suffers from a genetic disorder, similar to bunnies. She lacks immunity to many viruses, and even benign bacteria could trigger illness. Thus, their home is perpetually shielded by a purification barrier.

As a Vice Marshal, Zhu Zaiyuan has no other hobbies. All his income goes into maintaining this expensive barrier, with all household expenses borne by his wife. He jovially claims to be living off his wife's wealth when speaking to outsiders.

Entrusting this bunny cub to Zhu Zaiyuan and his wife does seem to be the most prudent choice.

Lu Yinghuai, growing tired of the incessant messages, turned to Xia You and asked, "Xia You, there's a family – ahem – a household with an adult male hare that wants to adopt this hare cub. What do you think?"

Xia You paused, processing the information, then responded with a hint of surprise, "They already have a hare? What's their living environment like?"

"They maintain a purification shield all year round, ensuring a completely sterile environment under computer monitoring," Lu Yinghuai replied as he sent Zhu Zaiyuan a message, asking for photos of his residence.

Zhu Zaiyuan, seemingly waiting by his communicator, promptly sent several pictures.

Xia You pulled the car over and leaned over to take a look.

Just then, a floating live-streaming orb, noticing the car's halt, floated in through the window.

From the backseat, a tiger cub curiously stretched its head forward, blocking the view of the hare cub nestled in the cup holder.

The hare cub appeared fond of the soft furry texture, playfully pawing at the thick fur of the tiger cub.

Xia You browsed the photos Lu Yinghuai opened and paused at the last one.

The picture showcased a serene and elegant woman seated by a softly-lit terrace. Beside her was a fluffy, stern-faced, large hare.

The hare cub glimpsed at the photo, seemingly uninterested and unable to recognize its kin, instead showing more intrigue in the tiger cub's plushy head.

The tiger cub, finding the interaction unamusing, flicked its head, pushing the hare cub away, retreated to the backseat, yawned, and leaned against a panther, preparing for a nap.

The hare cub emitted a couple of anxious squeals. A snow leopard eyed it for a moment, then draped its thick tail over the hare cub's head.

The hare cub immediately settled down, clinging to the tail and nestling comfortably in the cup holder, kneading incessantly with its paws.

"This lady must really adore hares," Xia You remarked, looking at the photo. "But won't an adult male hare be aggressive towards the cub?"

As Xia You was live-streaming, her words reached Zhu Zaiyuan, who was attentively watching the broadcast.

Lu Yinghuai's communicator was once again inundated with messages.

[No! My male hare is nurturing! He's absolutely capable of looking after a cub!]

Lu Yinghuai: “...”

Without a word, he simply showed Xia You his message screen.

"Uh... Alright then." Xia You was momentarily stunned by the male rabbit creature's assurance about its offspring. "If circumstances allow, adopting would indeed be wonderful."

Previously, Xia You hadn't considered taking the rabbit creature's young, especially knowing the daily maintenance cost of the purification shield was exorbitant.

Xia You knew that if he asked, His Highness would surely agree. However, he had already caused His Highness much inconvenience and didn't want to add more.

Moreover, with so many eyes from the Senate watching the Marshal's Mansion, rashly deploying the purification shield might stir speculations about His Highness's health.

"But, may I visit regularly at a time convenient for them?" Xia You asked, looking expectantly at Lu Yinghui.

[Of course!]

Lu Yinghui smiled slightly, saying, "Certainly. Their home isn't far from the Marshal's Mansion."

Xia You was taken aback, "Your Highness, you mean..."

"Yes." Lu Yinghui lowered his eyes, his expression subtle, "He and his wife currently reside on Blue Star."

The live stream had gone quiet when they overheard their conversation.

Now, it was even more silent.

Deputy Marshal Zhu had already undergone spirit entity intervention five years ago.

That is to say, Deputy Marshal Zhu was diagnosed with Spirit Force Disorder five years ago.

Five years, that's already a considerable length of time.

The wife of Deputy Marshal Zhu adores children, but due to health reasons, couldn't bear any.

Later, because of Zhu's diagnosis with Spirit Force Disorder, his wife resolutely left the Imperial Star to settle on Blue Star with her beloved.

Deputy Marshal Zhu's eager desire to have a young rabbit creature by his wife's side might be because...

As everyone watched the live stream, the atmosphere grew tense.

"What a coincidence!" Xia You exclaimed, "That's just perfect."

It was fortunate that they found a home for the rabbit creature's young so quickly, especially since their next destination wasn't suitable for bringing it along.

[All of you look so downcast? I'm just temporarily going into the forest for a meal. When I come back, I'll still beat ten of you single-handedly!]

Zhu Zaiyuan's golden barrage confidently streaked across, bearing a brashness that seemed oddly mismatched with his square-faced appearance.

[Be careful not to overindulge, lest the spirit form gets overwhelmed when the person returns.]

Another golden comment popped up. Upon checking, it was surprisingly from Fan Yunxin.

The very Fan Yunxin who had previously appeared in the live stream in spirit form and then vanished!

[Wait, what? Hold on... let me process this...]

[Has Colonel Fan awakened? Is he awake?!]

[He's awake!!!!]

*

Xia You parked in a suitable location for aircraft landing, turned off the live stream, and nestled inside the tent, waiting for the adopting family for the rabbit creature's young.

Zhu Zaiyuan arrived swiftly.

Less than an hour after Lu Yinghui sent the coordinates, an aircraft landing signal was received on Lu Yinghui's light-computer.

Xia You, holding the rabbit creature's young, stood next to Lu Yinghui, surrounded by three large cats sitting nearby.

As the aircraft's stairs descended, the first to emerge wasn't a human but a mature rabbit creature, noticeably larger than any Maine Coon cat Xia You had ever seen.

With its round, flat cheeks and robust body, the long, soft fur on its belly nearly touched the ground.

Its tail wasn't as long as a snow leopard's, but it was incredibly fluffy with black ringed patterns.

The large rabbit creature approached Xia You, emitting a friendly yet formal sound before settling down gracefully.

Seemingly finding the ground beneath its paws a tad chilly, it swept its fluffy tail forward, placing it beneath its paws for cushioning.

Xia You couldn't help but gasp silently.

So adorable!

However, no matter how cute it is, it's someone else's pet – it's not right to touch without permission.

Following the landing of the aircraft, a tall man descended, dressed in a black combat uniform, his hair a deep gray, much like the rabbit creature's fur.

Zhu Zaiyuan positioned himself next to the large rabbit creature, first saluting Lu Yinghui and then extending a hand towards Xia You.

"Greetings."

At a glance, Xia You recognized this face that frequently appeared on various military news reports.

It was none other than Deputy Marshal Zhu Zaiyuan, who often represented the First Army Corps in public speeches when Lu Yinghui was absent!

Xia You promptly shook Zhu Zaiyuan's hand, "Pleasure to meet you."

Yet, he didn't seem overly anxious.

After all, he was not just Xia You now but also the spouse of Lu Yinghui.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xia You set down the young rabbit creature. The three humans and three cats circled, watching to see if the young one would accept the larger rabbit creature's presence.

The young rabbit creature appeared visibly wary and fearful of the larger one, even darting towards Xia You as soon as it was released.

The large rabbit creature remained seated, emitting a low call.

"Mrow~"

The sound from the large rabbit creature was notably deeper than the younger one's, carrying a patient and gentle tone.

The young one hesitated, then turned its gaze towards the larger creature.

The large rabbit creature playfully tapped its tail and called out once more.

The younger one wagged its tail, trying to mimic the gesture of sitting and flipping its tail forward but fumbled in its attempts.

"Mew."

The larger rabbit creature then unfurled its tail, bending down as if signaling something.

The young one hesitantly approached, and with the tacit approval of the larger creature, hopped a couple of times, embracing the tail and rolling on the ground in joy.

Both Xia You and Zhu Zaiyuan sighed in relief.

In the end, the large rabbit creature left with the young one in its mouth, accompanied by Zhu Zaiyuan.

As the aircraft turned into a distant speck on the horizon, Xia You stroked the ear of the black panther beside him, exhaling deeply. "That was something."

Lu Yinghui approached, ruffling Xia You's hair. "Interested in another round of mech virtual training?"

"Absolutely!" Xia You perked up instantly. "Will you spar with me again?"

Lu Yinghui cleared his throat, "No, I've found someone more attuned to your style."

Xia You, puzzled: "Huh?"

Half an hour later, after donning the virtual reality headset and immersing himself in the Stellar Network, Xia You found himself face-to-face with an instructor sporting a high silver ponytail in the mech training room.

Hastily, Xia You greeted, "Hello, Instructor."

The instructor across him appeared even more anxious than Xia You, taking a moment before managing to utter, "Hello."

After a pause, perhaps fearing Xia You might perceive him unfavorably, the instructor, Cheng Zhi Nian, spread his arms wide, embracing the momentarily baffled student.

What followed was...

Xia You, caught off guard by the seemingly introverted instructor, found himself soundly defeated, both in and out of their mechs.

Three hours later.

Exiting the Stellar Network, Xia You lay sprawled on the carpet, a vacant look in his eyes.

Beside him, a grayish-white cat approached cautiously, its gaze full of concern as it looked down at the motionless Xia You.

"How do you feel?" asked Lu Yinghui.

"Her name is Cheng Zhi Nian. She fights in a straightforward manner, but unlike other power-driven combatants, she excels at striking critical points. That's why she's perfect for you."

Xia You weakly raised a thumb, "She's formidable!"

Nearby, Miss Snow Leopard twitched her whiskers. Her long tail swished contentedly, the butterfly bow on it dancing as if alive.